I've been trolling through my vast collection of books looking for information on the Incas. I figured I'd be all too clever for the Story-a-day marathon over at Forward Motion.
The Incas rose and fell during the Middle Ages and I thought it would be a nice change on the usual English or French Medieval times.
Turns out, I'm too clever for my own good: I don't have a book on the Incas. It's now on my list of texts to acquire. Encyclopediae are okay, but only give a brief history. I should note that I have three sets: Colliers, Arthur Mees and The New Book of Knowledge; the two latter encyclopediae were bought by my parents when I was a child, but still hold fascinating information.
Those two sets were used as babysitting tools when my parents had visitors. They'd sit all six of us in the 'book room' and close the door. Eventually, we all chose a book - encyclopedia for me - and sat quietly for hours entranced by the pictures or the words or both.
The guests never believed it when the folks said we were all reading; they had to see for themselves.
We all grew up with a love of books, and this is where it started.
For those interested, there's another story over at The Takeaway.
3 comments:
That's really a good idea. I never thought of it, but it would be much newer and fresher spin than the English and French. I hope you get your book, cause that sounds like it'd be a good read.
I grew up with a love of reading, too. I read all the time. High School nearly killed it for me--you have to read these specific types of books, this many books a month, blah blah--but now that I'm out I read all the time again!
Don't you give me plot bunnies. :)
Though any of those American cultures (the Anasazi are particularly interesting since we know so little about them) would lead to an alternate history because I don't want to spend years on research - like I did with the Romans.
Jason, you'll need to register at Forward Motion to read it, but this marathon is all about taking the typical and trying to find something new.
Gabriele... plot bunnies? Me? That's the problem, though, isn't it. There are so many interesting time frames in so many different countries... the bunnies are breeding...
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